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Cursed by Fate (Between Ruin and Salvation #1)
Cursed by Fate (Between Ruin and Salvation #1)
V.J. Silvey | 2023 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
CURSED BY FATE is the first of four books in the Between Ruin and Salvation series and it starts off slow enough that you can figure out just who is who and what is going on, without being thrown in the deep end. It is a start that builds up momentum until you are left gasping at the cliffhanger. And what a cliffhanger it is.

I was thoroughly engrossed with the story, watching how the characters changed and grew as the situation changed. And how much did I curse at my Kindle when Ava and Makaii didn't meet when I wanted them to, or in the circumstances I wanted? One thing I loved was Ava's relationship with Derek. Seeing how it changed between them into something neither of them expected was fantastic. I'm now holding onto hope that Ava and Makaii will get their HEA without too many more horrible decisions and stubbornness getting in their way.

A strong, capable female MC with a ton of bad situations. Two adorable male MCs and a triangle that I've never had before. (And I don't even like triangles but this one had me intrigued!) And kick-ass witches that I want more from. This was an amazing start to a brilliant series and I can't wait to read more. HIGHLY recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
March 7, 2023
  
A Discovery of Witches
A Discovery of Witches
Deborah E. Harkness | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.5 (45 Ratings)
Book Rating
Reading the reviews for this book, I knew it was going to be one of those reads, it’s a bit of a marmite book, you either love it or hate it. In my case I liked it enough to finish and want to continue to read the next one in the series.When I finished the book that was it. I didnt have loads of questions consuming me, it was just ok? what am I going to read next?

Diana Bishop is the female protagonist, she has descended from a very distinguished line of witches, however Diana does not use her powers that she has inherited, not since her parent’s died. Diana, a scholar is studying at a the Oxfords Bodleain Library as a historian. Unknown to her, she calls a bewitched alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782. Finding nothing of interest to her apart from a funny feeling and an off putting text, she returns it to the stacks without a futher thought. Soon there are daemons, vampires and witches swarming around the library in search for this particular manuscript as it has been lost for 150 years and has all the answers from their past and to their future.

Deborah Harkness did a great job with the development of the two main characters Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont, and even the sub characters, you got to see all their traits and mannerisms.

Diana is the female protagonist she is very bold, outgoing, hardworking and sometimes just damn annoying. She is a witch that doesn’t want to use her powers but is forced to as she needs to protect herself, in the book she is feisty and then other times whiney and saying she can’t do certain things.

Matthew Clairmont is a Vampire that has existed for over a Thousand years, who is currently a geneticist and falls in love instantly with Diana, however, he is very possessive (a vampire trait….supposedly) has moodswings and just generally annoying at times.

The first half of this book is very slow paced and is more of the character building and the relationship developing between the two. The second half is much faster paced as you get more action and magical elements added to it.

There is insta-love but not in the normal way, they don’t show each other that they have feelings for one another for several days but it is a gradual build up, however the book only spans 40 days according to Harkness and I cant believe they are that involved with each other so quickly, I had to take a step back, realising that all this had happened in such a short space of time.

There is also references to a lot of historical figures and wars, so if you like a bit of history in your fiction then this could be for you. There is also no sex scenes in this book, only referencing to kissing, cuddling and a bit of fondling.

One thing that I didn’t like in this book was all the french that was used (I am not french or learnt any either) However, I think Harkness added this to feel more authentic as that was where Matthews mother Ysabeau lived.

I will definitely be reading the second book in the trilogy as I am intrigued to find out what happens next.

I rated this book a 3 out of 5 stars.
  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
2016 | Fantasy
Attempting to continue the phenomenal literary and cinematic successes of the Harry Potter series of books and films is a daunting task for anyone to undertake. Even when series creator J.K. Rowling Rowling is involved, many would shy away from such a monumental taak.

However when you consider the books, movies, and merchandise have become a billion dollar industry and that rabid fans cannot get enough of the word that Rowlings created, it is not surprising that Rowlings and Warner Brothers have created a new cinematic series inspired by a story contained within the original book series.

In “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, audiences are introduced to Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who is just embarking on his adventures which will later be turned into books that Harry and his friends will read some seventy years onward.

Set in 1926 New York amongst the secret community of wizards and witches; the film follows the arrival of Newt in America as he has come with a suitcase filled with magical creatures. When a non-magic user named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), accidentally mistakes the suitcase for his own and unleashes some of the creatures, chaos follows.

The timing of this mishap could not be worse for the magic community as magic users have lived in secret and the arrival of Nate and his creatures threatens to expose them and make a bad situational even worse. Further complicating matters are a series of events that have caused destruction in the city which has given rise to a group who are convinced that witches are amongst them and must be destroyed at all cost.

Being an unregistered magic user; Newt, is soon taken in by an agent in New York named Porpentina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), who herself has fallen out of favor within her community of magic users. In time; Newt is taken into custody by Percival Graves (Collin Farrell), who not only seems to have a disdain for Newt, but is working with a member of the anti-witch group for his own ambitions.

Newt and his friends soon find themselves on the run as they attempt to gather the missing creatures and get to the bottom of a much bigger and more dangerous menace that threatens their community as well as the people of New York. What follows is a journey filled with magic, comedy, and danger that will delight fans.

The film is a pure delight and the Potter magic has continued in this highly-entertaining new series. The cast and characters are very enjoyable and the visual magic is wonderful to behold.

The story is filled with charm and humor but has a few nods to the previous films as well as a few surprises along the way.

I was easily swept up by the madcap adventure and cast that all gave solid performances. Never once did the characters let the dazzling array of visual effects overshadow the fact that this is a character driven story.

Redmayne and Fogler work very well with one another and the innocent fish out of water story that they both embark on makes them easily endearing to the audience.

It will be very interesting to see where the future films will go, but if this one is any indication of what is in store, there is plenty of magic left in this world and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

http://sknr.net/2016/11/15/fantastic-beasts-find/
  
S(
Salt (Salt, #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I never thought I'd actually find the time to read Salt. Actually, I was hesitant (mainly due to the fact I have 10+ books on le review queue)... even though I really wanted to read it because it seemed like a really good book.

      I kind of gave in. I didn't regret it either, which would be second worse case scenario next to a DNF. And that would actually suck.

      I'm probably Salt deprived though, and I don't mean SODIUM CHLORIDE, as much as like salty snacks. Yum.

     In other words, I LOVED this book. I believe I may have "met" my next favorite author.

      Do allow me to name the whys. Actually, my thoughts. Warning: there may be gushing. I hope no one minds. *fangirls* There might be a lot too. And it's in a list. Certainly not 13. That's saved for Friday the 13th. Which is in June if anyone cares.

~ It's official. I like characters with a lot of voice. Or maybe it's just a lot of sass. That tends to be a pattern.
~ WITCHES! Even better. Need I say more? I like witchy books as much as I like retellings and mythology. No wonder I loved Harry Potter. And yes, I like witches better than vampires. Sorry Vampire Academy.
~ Tis very action packed my friends. Despite the fact I took awhile to finish it. I was preoccupied with other books. Salt couldn't be crammed into le reading schedule.
~ Daemon Black, you have extreme competition. I apparently like Carter WAY better than you. He's less annoying, even though he's practically an alter ego. Maybe it's the fact that Carter is a witch. *hardly contains jumping up and down while typing* Mom, you saw no big smile on my face. Oh yeah, and let's just add that he's hot (Carter. Not Daemon. Though he is. Sort of? I am not a Daemon fan).
~ This is like Divergent and Hunger Games put together. Witch style. No killing required. Although maybe a few humans and demons were killed in the process. And I like both of those series... although I didn't really like Allegiant.
~ Like I said, I'm Salt deprived. Can someone fast forward time so I can read the second book?
~ I'm also Penelope and Carter deprived. Please, people, don't go come up with couple names like Carlope or Peneter. Couple names are so old. And definitely not cute anymore. O_o Yes, it will make them less cuter if anyone dares to add couple names. *cringe*
~ I'm going to go recommend this to a certain friend of mine. Just so I won't be alone with the gushing. Although I don't mind being the only one. I'll just say I'm talking about Funyuns. :D How do you spell that again?

      Nope, definitely no regret in deciding to review Salt when offered. No regrets at all. I think it's really obvious. *walks away with a completely cheesy grin* Anyone want cheesecake? :D?
-------------------
ARC copy provided by EntangledTeen for review
Formatting and pictures have been removed due to copy and paste.
This review and more posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/arc-review-salt-by-danielle-ellison.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; />
  
Knights of Stone: Lachlan (Highland Gargoyles #2)
Knights of Stone: Lachlan (Highland Gargoyles #2)
Lisa Carlisle | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Knights of Stone: Lachlan (Highland Gargoyles, #2)
Knights of Stone: Lachlan is the second book in the Highland Gargoyles series. Lachlan is the eldest of the brothers, and the alpha of their small clan left on the island. This book follows on from the ground-work done in Mason. The triad of Gargoyles, Tree Witches, and Wolves, are finally meeting on neutral ground to try and do what is best for the island as a whole, rather than just their group. Of course, it's not going to happen overnight, but any place needs a starting point. Things get interesting for Lachlan when he meets Raina, at the meeting in her capacity as Beta to the Wolves. The spark is there immediately for both of them, and they both deny it! Neither of them trust, or want, to be with the other. However working together gives them a different perspective on each other, and they are thrown in each other's direction.

This is a smoothly paced, action-packed novella in the Highland Gargoyles series, and we get to see more of the Wolf pack. This is a follow-on story, as it only happens because of Mason and Kayla. So I would definitely recommend that you read this in order. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow, this is a well-rounded book, with wonderful world-building and characters. Definitely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
The Shadow Reigns (Witch-Hunter, #2)
The Shadow Reigns (Witch-Hunter, #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The second part of the Witch-Hunter series.

The world has been thrown into darkness by the Shadow Witch&#039;s revolution. The witch-hunters are scattered, but still strong. The race is now on to gather allies and win the war.
New enemies will arise; loyalties will be pushed to the limit. And an important question will be answered: can a witch-hunter that practices magic ever be trusted, or will he be persecuted?
It is said that &#039;love conquers all&#039;, but this twisted love must stay secret, locked away with the past.

The Shadow Reigns is the sequel to book 1 The Shadow Rises in K.S. Marsden’s the witch hunter trilogy.
In the second instalment of the Witch-Hunter trilogy we find the world dealing with the catastrophic aftermath of the witches’ revolution. The remaining witch-hunters and the army form an alliance to plot the downfall of the powerful Shadow Witch and her followers.
I really like what the author has done with the plot twists in this one.
Hunter is embracing his newly realized anti-magic abilities. Hunter and his companions are searching for MMC survivors.
I found this one witty but also gritty.
The characters are so engaging and can just picture them in my mind.
The story and plot so well done and kept me on the edge of my seat!
Loved also the descriptive imagery of the landscape and also the magic.
Such a wonderful book.
Highly recommend reading!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
2018 | Fantasy, Horror
Characters (3 more)
Eclectic range of actors and actresses
Humour
Horror
Can be a bit predictable (0 more)
A not so chilling review
Contains spoilers, click to show
I resisted watching this show due to the whole hype about it, sometimes the hype is better than the actual TV show.
Giving myself a few months I began to watch it, and I was enchanted from the first episode.
The directors and actors/actresses do the TV Show justice, they are all fantastic and believable with wicked senses of humor.
I didn't expect this TV Series to have humor in from the responses I had received from people who had watched this before me, i was pleasantly surprised.
Jam packed full of adventure, horror and humor I really enjoyed watching this show. Watching the characters interact with one another and the relationships between them grow and change was very interesting to watch. SPOILERS - The one episode with the Sleep Demon was a very interesting episode to watch as it displayed each of the characters in a way that wouldn't have been possible any other way.

The only negative point that could be made is that it can be predictable and Sabrina just seems to look for trouble which on occasion can be a tiny bit annoying but the characters reactions usually make up for the annoyance.

I would say for anyone interested in the fantastical, mystical and an introduction to Witches to give this show a watch. It made me want to dye my hair back blonde, wear a head band and to paint my nails black! Definitely would recommend to anyone to watch.